Stuck on superheroes

For decades, comic-book superheroes have survived bullets and bombs, Kryptonite, and gamma rays. They've thwarted the evil machinations and worldwide-domination schemes of arch villains. They've even weathered the near-total disappearance of their changing rooms of choice – the public phone booth.

But now they've come face to face with, perhaps, their ultimate foe: A young generation indifferent to comic books.

These days, video-game-savvy kids would rather spend time with the XBox than the X-Men. And instead of catching waves with the Silver Surfer, the only surfing they're interested in is of the Internet kind.

But, starting with today's release of "Spider-Man," a whole league of superheroes is fighting back. The Sub-Mariner, Hulk, and Daredevil, among others, are migrating en masse to the movies – the most popular of all entertainment mediums – where they hope to recapture fans. Audiences may not always care for comic books themselves, but the fantasy of superheroes remains popular because viewers like to see parts of themselves reflected in caped crusaders.

"I think they do represent the best of ourselves and the people we'd like to be," says Al Gough, who, along with writing partner Miles Millar, is penning the script for a sequel to "Spider-Man," following the duo's success as writers and executive producers of TV's Superman series, "Smallville." "Then also, I think there is the wish fulfillment that you can sometimes feel powerless in the world and, if you had these abilities, you could fight back."

Comics are perfect for screen adaptations, Mr. Miller says, noting that "they're full of spectacle [and] adventure with an emotional arc for the hero. That's what movies have always been about."

Of course, Spider-Man is hardly the first superhero to take his fight for truth, justice, and the American way from the comic strip to the film strip. Though the big-screen versions of Superman and Batman are currently hibernating in the Fortress of Solitude and Bat Cave respectively, their celluloid debuts were colossal successes. More recently, the triumphs of comic-book characters "Spawn," "The X-Men," and "Blade I & II" at the box office has not gone unnoticed in Hollywood.

Movie adaptations of comic books are suddenly lucrative propositions for a number of reasons. In particular, special effects have come a long way since 1978 when the tagline of the first "Superman" movie boasted: "You'll believe a man can fly!"

Now, Spider-Man can traverse skyscrapers in leaps and bounds more believably because computer-generated effects have made leaps and bounds of their own. Filmmakers are suddenly able to replicate the look of comic books on film more faithfully and inexpensively.

Another attractive economic aspect of superhero films is the promise of revenue from spinoff merchandise, toys, and cross-promotional tie-ins.

Plus, superheroes appeal to studios because they come with built-in name recognition and the potential for a franchise that isn't dependent upon the same lead actor (witness the passing of Batman's cowl from Michael Keaton to Val Kilmer to George Clooney).

"These concepts can be 'owned' by studios or a production company in ways that an actor can't be owned," says Kevin Hagopian, a lecturer in media studies at Penn State University.

Page: 1 | 2 | 3